I’ve no idea what food prices are like in the USA but compared to the UK it’s FAR easier to eat healthy, locally (or at least Israeli) grown produce in Israel than it is in the UK where fruits and veggies are highly priced and of poor quality (and usually imported).

I live in a poor area of South Tel Aviv and unlike in a poor area of London, there are SEVERAL fruit and veg markets here. In the yuppie free poor area of East London I used to live in there was a grand total of NO fruit and veg markets, just an over priced minimarket at a petrol station that sold apples only.

Obviously organic food is a luxury item — because the world is overpopulated. Organic food requires more land to grow the equivalent amount of non-organic food. So it’s obviously more expensive. If you eat organic food, you have to accept that you are one of the “yuppies” you write about so disdainfully.

I also don’t find the port an “exclusive” part of TA. It’s no less “exclusive” than the centre and less so than Neve Zedek in the South.

Israel is not like America – thankfully. (Except in Raanana.)

I disagree with you, however, on the CSA issue. Rather than packaging and shipping the goods from a farm to a distribution hub and then to a supermarket, the CSA cuts out a step and either brings vegetables straight from the farm to a designated spot where members meet to pick up their goods, or members can come to the farm itself instead of the supermarket or shuk. Some CSAs will bring straight to your house for an extra cost, but only if the drop off location for many families is nearby (which I agree is more wasteful than it needs to be). CSA memberships also give farmers an idea of how much to grow, thus minimizing waste. And since CSAs are by definition local, the transportation costs all around are much lower. Sure, it’s not as ecologically sound as growing your own food or living in a rural town, but it’s certainly a responsible option.

While CSA programs are important for spreading the word, and supporting small farms, delivering food to each and every person’s house adds in a big way to the carbon footprint of producing our food. A thought.

I do, however, believe that it’s important not to lose sight of the social disparities that such a market reveals, and that while I plan on buying organic in Israel, many people cannot.